By Sean Radican, Torch columnist

Dragon Gate USA "Enter the Dragon 2012: Third Anniversary Celebration" Internet PPV Report
July 29, 2012
Chicago, Ill.
Report by Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist

Lenny Leonard and Colt Cabana introduced the show. Chuck Taylor and Jake Manning came out first with new entrance graphics. Taylor got on the mic, but it was hard to hear what he was saying. Manning began to assemble some kindle in the ring. Manning asked Taylor to be quiet while he built his fire. Some music played and Masada made his way to the ring. Masada got into the ring and broke Manning’s Kindle contraption. Manning slapped Masada in the face and it was on.

1 - - JAKE MANNING (w/Chuck Taylor) vs. MASADA

Manning hit a backbreaker/face buster combination during the early stages of the match. Masada dominated for a long period of time. Manning tried to fire back, but eventually took a clothesline. Masada had a hard time, but eventually hit a powerbomb on Manning. Masada followed up with the Regal-plex for the win.

Winner: Masada – A short squash for Masada, who continues to get no reaction from the crowd.

Zero Gravity came out next for a tag match to face the scene. The Scene managed to find themselves a female to come to the ring with them tonight.

2 - - ZERO GRAVITY (Brett Gakiya & C.J. Espirzia) vs. THE SCENE (Caleb Konley & Scott Reed w/Larry Dallas)

The Scene dominated the action during the early stages of the match. Espirzia fired back on Reed and Zero Gravity nailed him with a combination kick in the corner. Zero Gravity hit a backdrop into a 450 splash on Reed and the crowd popped. Konley cut off Espirzia and began working him over. Reed tagged in and continued to work over Espirzia. Espirzia eventually cut off Reed and tagged in Brett, who ran wild. Brett hit a nice springboard moonsault on Reed for a 2 count. Zero Gravity set up Reed in the corner and hit a coast-to-coast headbutt/ace crusher combination, but Konley made the save. There wasn’t much of a reaction for all of Zero Gravity’s high flying. The Scene hit a mutilple powerbomb/chop combination on Espirizia, but Brett broke it up. Konley set up both members of Zero Gravity for a double O face for the win.

Winners: The Scene

Star rating: (**) - Zero Gravity showed some good high-flying, but the more they did the less the crowd cared.

Zero Gravity got an ovation after the Scene left the ring.

Shane Hollister came out for his DGUSA debut. Cabana put him over on commentary. Del Sol came out next to a good reaction from the crowd.

3 - - SHANE HOLLISTER vs. SAMURAY DEL SOL

Del Sol hit an incredible backwards hand walk headscissors takedown and the crowd applauded. Hollister fired back and began to work over Del Sol. Del Sol rolled on top of Hollister to escape a surfboard attempt for a 2 count, but Hollister immediately took him back down. Del Sol hit several kicks on Hollister, but Hollister grabbed him by the mask and tossed him to the ground. Del Sol fired back and began working over Hollister. They went back and forth with some nice exchanges. Hollister nailed Del Sol with a kick from the apron and went up top, but Del Sol ran across the ring and hit a hurricanrana. Del Sol then hit a springboard rising sun out of the corner for the win.

Winner: Samuray Del Sol

Star rating: (**1/2) – This was a really good, albeit short match. Hollister looked good in his debut and dominated much of the action, but Del Sol caught him with his finish by surprise.

Cabana said he had to leave to do some Yoga stretching.

The Super Smash Bros. came out to a decent reaction. Keith Lipinski joined Lenny Leonard on commentary. Arik Cannon and Pinkie Sanchez came out next.

4 - - SUPER SMASH BROS. (Player Uno & Player Dos) vs. D.U.F. (Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez)

Super Smash Bros. slammed Cannon and did their flexing pose during the early stages of the match. Cannon tied up Dos in a leg submission a short time later and drank a beer. Uno got a beer as well and went for a toast with Cannon, but Cannon spit beer in his face. That was nice of Uno to save his partner from a submission. Dos cut off Sanchez a short time later and hit a combination of moves on him with Uno. Sanchez cut off Dos as Keith made an unrecognizable comparison of a Japanese wrestler to Sanchez. Cannon tagged in a hit a sling shot into Sanchez’s rear-end. D.U.F. continued to tag in and out to work over Dos. Dos fired back with a double pele kick on D.U.F. and tagged in Uno, who ran wild.

Cannon fired back on Dos and nailed him with a superkick for a 2 count. D.U.F. continued to work over Dos while making multiple tags. Dos fired back on Sanchez and tagged in Uno, who nailed Sanchez with some big chops. Sanchez eventually countered Uno and nailed him with a DDT for a 2 count. Dos got the tag and they hit a tandem lung blower on Sanchez, but Cannon made the save. Sanchez and Cannon hit a combination of moves on Dos capped by a glimmering warlock from Cannon, but he kicked out.

The action broke down with everyone hitting moves capped by a huge clothesline by Cannon on Dos and everyone was down as the crowd began to fire up. Cannon hit Uno with a Saito suplex, but Dos immediately nailed Cannon with a frogsplash and everyone was down again. The crowd applauded as everyone tried to recover. The Super Smash Bros. hit a tandem exploder on Sanchez that sent him flying into Cannon in the corner, but they only got a 2 count. Cannon ran in and broke up the fatality on Sanchez. Cannon set up Dos for a doublestomp to the head/wheelbarrow German into the turnbuckle on Dos. Cannon then hit total anarchy on Dos, but Uno made the save and the crowd applauded. Dos hit a reverse hurricanrana on Cannon out of the corner. Cannon rolled outside and Dos ended up jumping over Sanchez and wiping out Cannon with a flip dive, which was amazing. Uno hit a curb stomp on Sanchez. SSB then hit the fatality on Sanchez for the win.

Winners: The Super Smash Bros.

Star rating: (***1/4) – It took a while for the crowd to get into this, but once the action heated up, there were some good nearfalls and both teams looked good here. Dos’s dive over Sanchez to the outside to take out Cannon towards the end was amazing.

Uno got on the mic and said they had been taking the world by storm. He said they have 2 DGUSA wins now. Uno said they should be in line for a tag title shot. He said he doesn’t care who wins, they want a shot at the tag titles in November. Uno said after November, the SSB would be the new DGUSA tag champions.

Chuck Taylor came out with the Swamp Monster. Taylor told them they would have to go through the Gentleman’s Club first to get the tag titles. Taylor said there would be some new members of the Gentleman’s Club in November. Ricochet came out and said none of them would get a tag title shot before storming out of the ring. The Scene’s music played and they came out to the stage. Cannon got on the mic and said nobody wants to hear or see Larry Dallas. Cannon said nobody here or in Japan that likes Dallas. Cannon ran down Konley and Reed before chasing them backstage.

Taylor got on the mic and called out Gargano for their I Quit match. All the sudden the Swamp Monster ran into the ring and revealed himself to be Johnny Gargano.

5 - - Open the Freedom Gate Champion JOHNNY GARGANO vs. CHUCK TAYLOR – non-title I Quit match

Gargano ran wild, but Taylor cut him off going for a dive through the ropes. They brawled into the crowd and it was hard to see them at first. Taylor hit Gargano with a motorcycle helmet, but Gargano ended up tossing a chair into his face. Gargano tossed several chairs at Taylor on the outside, but Taylor raked his eyes. They got a spotlight on Gargano and Taylor finally and Gargano suplexed Taylor onto a pile of chairs and the crowd popped. Gargano got slammed by Taylor up on the stage and the crowd applauded. Gargano fired back and tossed Taylor into the ring. Gargano got a ladder and nailed Taylor with it. He then whipped Taylor into the ladder. Gargano went under the ring and grabbed a chair. Gargano nailed Taylor with a rolling kick and Taylor went to the outside. Gargano tried to go for the slingshot spear moments later, but Taylor caught him and DDT’d him onto the chair.

Taylor fired back with the uranagi. He went and got the ladder to set up the corner of the ring. Gargano ended up hitting a backdrop on Taylor into the ladder. Taylor ended up tied up in the ladder upside down, so Gargano nailed him with a dropkick. Taylor was asked by the ref if he wanted to quit, but Taylor said no. Gargano went under the ring and got some barbed wire. Gargano tied up the barbed wire around the ropes in the corner. Gargano went for the lawn dart into the barbed wire, but Taylor slipped out and hit a head scissors takedown that sent Gargano into a chair in the opposite corner. Taylor went for a kick on Gargano and ended up nailing the ring girl. Taylor smiled and Gargano immediately jumped him. Gargano checked on the ring girl before going back at it with Taylor. Gargano ducked a kick of the stage and nailed Taylor with a superkick. He then nailed Taylor’s arm with a chairshot against the ringpost.

Taylor sold his arm on the outside before Gargano tossed him back into the ring. Gargano got the chair and drove into Taylor’s chest multiple times and the crowd applauded. Gargano went up top, but Taylor tossed a chair at him and Gargano went through a table at ringside. The crowd popped big as the ref asked Gargano if he wanted to quit. Gargano said no, so Taylor went back on the attack. Taylor set up a guardrail between the ring and another ring barrier. Taylor took the ref’s belt and began whipping Gargano back inside the ring. Taylor then choked Gargano with the belt, but he wouldn’t quit. Gargano fired back and nailed Taylor with a dive through the ropes and the fans chanted for him. Gargano hit the slingshot spear through the ropes a short time later. Gargano got the belt and began whipping Taylor. Gargano suplexed Taylor into the turnbuckles, but Taylor wouldn’t quit. Gargano went for a springboard DDT, but Taylor countered it and backdropped him through the guardrail. That was a really nasty bump Gargano went right through the guardrail and hit the floor. Gargano said he wouldn’t quit. Taylor tossed Gargano back into the ring and mocked Gargano. Gargano’s leg was bleeding after he went through the guardrail. Taylor locked in a half crab, but Gargano wouldn’t quit. Gargano grabbed the mic and tossed it out of the ring. Gargano got the ropes, but Taylor didn’t have to break the hold. Gargano began climbing the ropes and eventually managed to free himself.

Taylor got a bag and dumped out some thumb tacks in the ring. Taylor asked Gargano if he wanted to quit again. Gargano said no. Taylor set up Gargano for a razor’s edge into the tacks, but Gargano slipped out and after an exchange of counters, Gargano backdropped Taylor into the tacks. Gargano grabbed a handful of tacks and jammed them into Taylor’s mouth before hitting a superkick. I’ve never seen that before. Taylor refused to quit. Gargano grabbed the barbed wire, but Taylor got on the mic and told him they’re friends. He begged Gargano not to attack him with the barbed wire. Taylor said Ronin baby and begged Gargano not attack him with the barbed wire. Gargano dropped the barbed wire and Taylor thanked him. Taylor tried to hit Gargano with the mic, but Gargano ducked and hit hurts don’t it. Gargano then locked in the Gargano escape with the barbed wire and Taylor said that he quit.

Winner: Johnny Gargano

Star rating: (***3/4) – The crowd seemed to sit in stunned silence after Gargano took a nasty looking bump through the guardrail during the second half of the match. They had some really good action in the match. Both guys went all out during the second half after a slow first half to deliver a strong finish. This was unlike any Gargano match I’ve seen before.

After the match, the fans chanted for Gargano as he was alone in the ring.

The show went to intermission.

Jon Davis came out to a small ovation after intermission. Leonard said Davis needs to win or go home. YAMATO came out next to a good reaction. He did the bit with the black towel again where he wears it over his head into the ring and takes it off to reveal he’s got hair.

5 - - JON DAVIS vs. YAMATO

Davis overpowered YAMATO during the early stages of the match and hit a nice powerslam before clotheslining him to the floor. YAMATO crawled under the ring and dropkicked Davis from behind after coming out the other side. YAMATO began working over Davis’s arm inside the ring. Both men began exchanging strikes in the middle of the ring. YAMATO nailed Davis’s arm with a kick and came off the ropes, but Davis nailed him with a spinebuster and a shining wizard for a 2 count. Davis caught YAMATO charging at him moments later with a knee and then hit a one-armed powerbomb for a 2 count. Davis went for a suplex, but YAMATO countered it into a sleeper. Davis tried to power out, but YAMATO applied a choke sleeper. YAMATO held the hold in the corner, but the ref forced him to break it. YAMATO argued with the ref until Davis nailed him with a kick to the head. The crowd began to try to rally behind Davis, who climbed the second rope and suplexed YAMATO back into the ring from the apron for a 2 count.

Davis went for a clothesline, but YAMATO kicked his arm and drove him shoulder-first into the turnbuckle. YAMATO tried to fire up the fans and they chanted for him. Davis ended up ducking a clothesline from YAMATO a few moments later before turning him inside out with a huge clothesline for a nearfall and the crowd applauded. Davis lifted YAMATO up, but YAMATO slipped behind him and applied the choke sleeper again. YAMATO then hit a sleeper suplex, a kick to the head, and brain buster, but Davis kicked out. YAMATO immediately applied an arm bar. Davis tried to escape, so YAMATO transitioned to a triangle choke. Davis ended up dead-lifting YAMATO and powerbombing him with one arm to break the hold for a 2 count. Davis hit a big buckle bomb and a running boot on YAMATO. He then hit the three seconds around the world powerbomb for the win.

Winner: Jon Davis

Star rating: (***1/4) – This was an impressive win for Davis, who finished off YAMATO clean with his finishing sequence. The crowd just doesn’t seem alive tonight, despite the good action in the ring, which put a damper on the atmosphere for the match.

Davis asked the fans who told him he sucked to stand up. When they wouldn’t stand, he said it didn’t matter because he just beat their favorite wrestler. Davis said he just beat the former champion, but the Open the Freedom Gate title might not be his focus. Davis said he’s been begging for an EVOLVE title. He said on Sept. 8 at EVOLVE he’d take a more active approach. This was a solid post-match promo.

Generico’s music played and I can definitely hear the fans now. Generico came out to a big ovation and shook hands with the fans. The fans stood and clapped as Generico got into the ring. Akira Tozawa came down to the ring next with Christina Von Eerie. Tozawa got a good pop when his music stopped playing. The fans then began chanting for Generico. Von Eerie got in Generico’s face prior to the opening bell. She tried to slap him, but Tozawa stopped her.

7 - - AKIRA TOZAWA (w/Christina Von Eerie) vs. EL GENERICO

After an initial feeling out period, Tozawa drove Generico to the mat with a knuckle lock. Generico escaped and nailed Tozawa with some big chops. The pace picked up with Generico hitting his signature series of arm drags, but he only got a small pop for the sequence. Generico continued to maintain the upper hand until Von Eerie tripped him from the outside. Generico went after Von Eerie, which allowed Tozawa to hit two tope’s followed by a senton off the apron. The fans chanted for Tozawa after the sequence of dives. Tozawa maintained the upper hand back inside the ring and continued to work over Generico. Tozawa sent Generico outside and Von Eerie nailed him with a slap before tossing him back into the ring. Tozawa raked at Generico’s eyes before tossing him to the outside where Von Eerie worked him over again behind the ref’s back.

Tozawa continued to dominate the action and Von Eerie got in another cheap shot while the ref was distracted. Generico chased Von Eerie. Tozawa tried to hit a bicycle kick, but Generico clotheslined him to the floor. The fans fired up and Generico hit a huge flip dive over the top to the outside to take out Tozawa. Generico hit a michinoku driver inside the ring a short time later, but only got a 2 count. The fans began to rally behind Generico, but Tozawa blocked a running boot in the corner and hit a Saito suplex for a 2 count. Generico tried to block a German suplex. He sat down, so Tozawa nailed him with two kicks and a sliding kick for a 2 count. Generico tried to get up, but spilled to the mat. Tozawa nailed Generico with several strikes. Generico finally fired back and slapped Tozawa several times and told him to bring it. They went back and forth until Generico eventually caught Tozawa with an exploder into the turnbuckles. Generico went for a running boot, but Tozawa nailed him with a kick. They went back and forth again until Tozawa caught him with a shining wizard that left both men down.

The crowd fired up as both men struggled to get to their feet. Tozawa tried to go off the ropes a short time later but Generico held on and hit a blue thunder powerbomb for a nearfall. The crowd began singing Generico’s song as he regrouped. Generico went for a brainbuster, but Tozawa blocked it. After a series of counters, Generico went for the brain buster, but Von Eerie ran in with a chair. She got in the ref’s face and yelled at Generico. Generico went for a running kick on Von Eerie, but missed and Tozawa nailed him with a running kick. Generico fired up and nailed Tozawa by surprise with a running kick in the opposite corner and hit the brainbuster, but Tozawa kicked out. Generico sold shock as the crowd chanted for him. Generico went for the top rope brainbuster, but Tozawa fought him off. Generico went for it again, but Tozawa nailed him with some punches. Generico nearly hat it, but Tozawa slipped behind him and they spilled to the mat. After another exchange of counters Tozawa hit a German suplex and then another German suplex with a bridge for a 2 count. Tozawa then hit a straightjacket German for the pin.

Winner: Akira Tozawa

Star rating: ***1/2 – This was a very good match, but the crowd just didn’t come through fully for this match. Von Eerie’s constant interference during the match was a distraction as well, but it does give Generico an excuse for eventually falling to Tozawa.

The crowd gave Generico a nice hand once he recovered and went to the back.

Lenny Leonard came to the ring to do the formal ring introductions for the main event for the vacant Open the United Gate titles. Rich Swann & Ricochet came down to the ring first and got some applause from the fans. CIMA and A.R. Fox came out next to a good reaction.

8 - - A.R. FOX & CIMA vs. RICH SWANN & RICOCHET – Open the United Gate Titles decision match

Swann and Fox kicked things off. The fans applauded before they locked up. After an incredible exchange, Swann sent Fox to the floor with a dropkick. He faked a dive and CIMA nailed him with a dropkick. Leonard said CIMA and Ricochet were able to enter the ring because their partners went to the floor. CIMA and Ricochet shook hands before going at it at hyper speed. CIMA and Fox ended up on the floor and Ricochet wiped them out with an incredible corkscrew dive. Ricochet tossed Fox back inside the ring and covered him for a 2 count. Ricochet missed a corkscrew press off the second rope and Fox went to work on him. CIMA tagged in and continued to work over Fox with a double stomp off the top. The crowd tried to rally behind Ricochet, but Fox hit a nice split-legged swanton press.

Ricochet hit an ace crusher on CIMA after taking a sustained beating and tagged in Swann, who fended off Fox and CIMA. Swann hit a spinning kick on Fox and the crowd popped. Swann took a moment to pause for the fans before covering Fox for a 2 count. Swann continued to work over Fox inside the ring. Swann continued to work over Fox in the ring as Leonard mentioned that a lot of teams were lining up for a shot at the tag titles. Ricochet tagged in and slung Fox over his shoulders with a submission before driving him head-first into the turnbuckles several times. Swann covered Fox moments later, but CIMA broke up the pin. Ricochet and Swann hit a nice sequence of high-flying moves on Fox, but CIMA ran in and broke up the pin again. Swann and Ricochet hit a stereo hip toss followed by stereo dropkicks on Fox, but CIMA broke it up at 2. Fox fired back and hit sliced bread on Swann off Ricochet’s test. He then hit a twisting brain buster on Ricochet. Fox finally tagged in CIMA, who ran wild on Swann. Ricochet went after CIMA, but he put him in a leg submission before suplexing Swann at the same time. CIMA held Ricochet and Swann on the outside and Fox nailed them with an inverted 450 and the crowd chanted for him. Ricochet fired back on Fox a few moments later and nailed him with an exploder into the turnbuckles. The crowd applauded as Ricochet went back on the attack. Fox hit a nice variation of the DVD on Ricochet before nailing him with a gorgeous swanton. Swann ended up running into the ring to break up the pin.

Swann fired up on Fox in the corner with chops and strikes on Fox. The crowd applauded the sequence. Swann and Ricochet isolated Fox and nailed him with a great sequence of moves capped by a standing corkscrew press from Ricochet for a nearfall. CIMA ran in and cut off Ricochet up top. Ricochet countered CIMA and Swann came through his legs and hit a dropkick. Ricochet then hit a standing SSP on CIMA, but he kicked out and the crowd popped big. Wow! CIMA and Fox fired back on Swann moments later and hit a series of moves capped by a running SSP in the corner. CIMA hit meteora on Swann, but Ricochet caught him a SSP off the top for a nearfall and the crowd went nuts with all four men down on the mat. This is getting really good!

Fox and Ricochet traded blows in the middle of the ring after the previous breathtaking sequence. Ricochet caught Fox with an enzuguri, but CIMA ran in and nailed him with a superkick and a perfect driver for a nearfall. CIMA held Ricochet on his knees and Fox nailed him with a 450, but Swann ran in and broke it up and the crowd went crazy again. Fox cut off Swann up top and nailed him with Lo Mein pain for the win.

Winners: A.R. Fox & CIMA to become the new Open the United Gate Tag Team Champions

Star rating: (****1/4) – The finish came abruptly, but these four men set the crowd on fire with an excellent display of tag team wrestling. Some of the sequences here had my jaw on the floor, especially when CIMA hit meteora and Ricochet came right off the top and nailed him with a great SSP for a nearfall that Fox didn’t even realize had happened. This one is worth going out of your way to see.

CIMA got on the mic and started an A.R. Fox chant. CIMA called him the new best high-flyer in the world. Ricochet grabbed the mic from CIMA and questioned CIMA’s choice. Ricochet called Fox a punk and said all he did was stupid moves to put his body on the line. Ricochet asked CIMA and Fox if they thought they were better than him. Ricochet told Fox he’ll never be better than him and dropped the mic at Fox’s feet.

Fox said he wasn’t going to let Ricochet spoil the biggest moment of his career. Fox said on Sept. 8 he would face him in EVOLVE and the crowd applauded. CIMA told Fox he and Ricochet should respect each other. CIMA said they were the same and begged them to respect each other. CIMA said they were now the new Open the United Gate tag champions. CIMA thanked the fans for supporting them for 3 years and led the crowd in a Dragon Gate chant. He asked the fans if they enjoyed the show. He said he couldn’t hear them and got the crowd all wound up. CIMA thanked the fans to close the show and the fans applauded.

Leonard thanked the fans for three years of support of DGUSA. CIMA went around and shook hands with the fans after the match.

Overall thoughts: (7.5) – The crowd didn’t seem as big or vocal as the usual DGUSA crowds in Chicago, but this was a very good show. It started slowly, but there was some very good action up and down the card after the first few matches.

Gargano-Taylor had a crazy second half to their I Quit match. The last ten minutes of the match were brutal and they took some bumps that were hard to watch. Overall, it was a fitting end to their feud. Generico-Tozawa was good as well, but the crowd just never really got into it. Davis picked up another big win over YAMATO in a shorter than expected match. Although it ended abruptly with Davis mowing through YAMATO cleanly after YAMATO punished his arm for a long period of time, it was till good.

The main event stole the show and got the crowd hotter than they had been all night with A.R. Fox & CIMA beating Ricochet & Rich Swann to become the new Open the United Gate champions. It’s a shame those guys had to work that hard to get a reaction out of the crowd like they did, as the matches on the undercard were good and deserved the same support in some respects. Some of the sequences in this match left my jaw on the floor and this is one people are definitely going to want to see.

I give the VOD a solid recommendation. I’m looking forward to seeing Taylor and Gargano again once DGUSA re-edits it. It was hard to see some of the action when they were on the outside during the first half of the match. I thought out of both shows this weekend, last night’s show was better overall, but you won’t be sorry if you order this given the advancement of storylines and overall match quality.

***

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